The South Addition is ready!! Big Move on Monday December 23!!

Update

The New addition is ready for the big move!!  A big thank you to the entire team from Wright and Morrissey for getting it done on time!!  Thank you to Bill our Clerk of the Works and to Dan from TruexCullins Architects for guiding us through and for finishing the punch list today.  

Temporary moves happening on Monday December 23, 2013:  These offices and classroom will be moved into the NEW ADDITION until the end of the School year.

Please remember to use the New South Entry to come into School after the Holiday Break!

• Administrative offices will be moving and sharing the new Music Room with Music.
• The New Art Room will have Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Gariboldi's K classes.
• One of the New classrooms will have Mrs. O'Hare and Mrs. Zeilenga's 1 st Graders.
• Mrs. Gannon's 5th Grade class will be moving to her new classroom in the new wing.
• Guidance will be in the small new Tutoring Room in the new addition 
• The Health office will be next to Guidance office in the future Language office.

Glenn More from Fire Safety did a final walk through on Thursday the 19th and we have the green light to move into the new space.

Glenn and Strummer testing the sprinkler system.

 New Classrooms!

    The doors between the 89 wing and the NEW WING came down today!

      New Staff and Handicap Bathroom in the New addition.

The K class checking their future classroom for the next few months!

School Oversight Committee is looking to add members to the Committee

“The East Montpelier Elementary School Oversight Committee is looking to increase our membership.  The EMES Board of Directors has charged the Committee with oversight of the construction project, and the Committee is looking for support with the remaining pieces of this important work.  The Oversight Committee will meet Wednesday mornings, as needed, to support the project.  At the meetings the clerk of the works will report on the progress and clarify any questions too.   

Interested parties should contact 

Flor Diaz-Smith, at diazsmith.flor@gmail.com or Alicia Lyford at alyford@u32.org. “

Thank you for your support!

The Renovation is on time, they will be ready for our big move on December 23rd.

Taping is completed they are finishing painting and installing cabinets on all the new spaces.  The new concrete slab has been grind and polish.  They are tiling the new bathrooms today.

A lot of testing is going on this week and next week they will try to keep the noise and disruption to a minimum for students. (Fire Alarm, generator, fire pump, etc)

Ceilings are being hanged now and acoustical work is happening on the new Music Room.

On December 19th the State will come to do a final walk and give us our Occupancy Permit for the new addition.

Teachers and Administrator now on the 1965 wing of the building will be moving to the new addition to give room to work on Phase 3 to start.

We will be posting more details soon stayed tuned!  

NEW ART ROOM STORAGE

 ASBESTOS REMOVAL UPDATE BELLOW.

ASBESTOS REMOVAL UPDATE

Please be advised that asbestos removal work will be performed at East Montpelier Elementary School between December 24, 2013 and January 17, 2014.

The work will be conducted in the 1965 building section (administration area, east classrooms and etc.).  The asbestos-containing materials scheduled for removal are vinyl floor tiles, adhesive on mopboards and vinyl floor sheeting.  The asbestos removal areas will be isolated from the rest of the school building by a sealed, negative air pressure containment.  Each entrance leading the asbestos removal areas will be demarcated with signs that read, “Danger Asbestos” to warn people to keep out of these areas.

The abatement work will be conducted by Techtron Environmental from Essex Jct., Vermont.  Techtron is fully licensed and accredited as an asbestos abatement contractor by the Vermont Department of Health and the US Environmental Protection Agency respectively.  

The asbestos removal activities will be monitored by Crothers Environmental Group (CEG) out of Morrisville, Vermont.   CEG is an independent consulting company with absolutely no monetary affiliation with the asbestos removal contractor.   CEG is fully licensed and accredited as an asbestos consulting entity by the VDOH and the USEPA respectively.   CEG is tasked with ensuring that containment barriers are constructed properly before any asbestos removal activities begin.  CEG will also be collecting asbestos air samples before, during and after the work. In addition, CEG will conduct random compliance inspections of the asbestos removal contractor’s work practices.

PLEASE POST A COMMENT OR EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS.

diazsmith.flor@gmail.com Flor or

alyford@u32.org Alicia

NEWDOORS

BEFORE THE CEILINGS WENT UP

BILL FORD AND ALICE AGNEY CHECKING THE PROGRESS.

STEPHEN LOOKE AND HIS SON CHECKING 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG!!!  THANK YOU WM FOR ALL YOUR GREAT WORK.

Update Nov 18-2013

We have been working hard on a plan to work on the drainage of the upper parking lot with a minimum amount of added cost.  This will help maintaine and preserve our paved circle and side walks that were part of the final drawings.  A little work on the upper parking lot will also give parents and staff a better and safer parking area.  We had to take two trees out, look at this amazing picture our Clerk of the works Bill Ford took:

The work on the South addition is going well and on time!  Electrical Inspection in done, sheet rock or drywall is almost done too!  Materials for window sills have been ordered, tile for bathrooms has been chosen, counter tops for the new bathrooms are on order..everything is moving really fast.

 Lisa and Beth's class had a tour of the building and I am sure with love to tell you more about what they have been learning; if you want to ask them questions at home!

Please don't hesitate to ask questions or post comments in the blog!

Addition is closed IN!

UPDATE 

The South Addition is CLOSED IN look at the New Windows!!

Masonry is clompleted, all windows are in, all roof curves are in too!!

A lot of interior work is going on this week in the addition, insulation, electrical wiring, electrical inspection was last Tuesday and a lot of the mechanical rwork is going on now.  

We are hoping to schedule a tour soon and open the addition for a quick tour... We will keep you posted.

Please email or post comments or questions.

UPDATE IN PICTURES

CONSTRUCTION IS MOVING ALONG AND IT IS LOOKING LIKE A BUILDING!!  MOST OF THE BRICK WORK IS DONE, THEY ARE ROOFING NOW AND WINDOWS WILL BE AT THE JOB SITE SOON !  

INTERIOR PARTITIONS

ROOF DRAINS

WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING DURING THIS CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS BUT WE STILL HAVE WAYS TO GO........   PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS OR POST COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG.

PLEASE REMEMBER

   Residential property owners whose combined

household income is less than $99,000 

(or $106,000 if working), 

may be eligible for a

property tax adjustment. Vermont State Tax 

Forms H144 and H122 can still be filed until

October 15, 2013.

______________________________

SCHEDULE UPDATE

Masonry block work has started in the new addition.  

Steel joist and deck started by the end of last week and will continue this week.

Roofing will start 10/14 or 10/15

Windows are schedule to arrive on site this week.

Sidewalk work continues around the short term parking area.

Bleachers and acoustical panels will be installed this week inthe gym.

Work on the Boiler room continues and as you can tell phase II is moving along and on time but we still have a lot of work to get done.

Thanks for visiting the Facilities blog  http://emesfacilities.blogspot.com/ and if you have any questions about the project please email Alicia Lyford alyford@u32.org or Flor Diaz Smith  diazsmith.flor@gmail.com

EMES PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND DECREASING CARBON FOOTPRINT Fall Signpost Article

                        

EMES PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND DECREASING CARBON FOOTPRINT

Kids are back to school, and the renovation project continues on time and within budget.  A big thank you to Wright and Morrissey’s Inc., TruexCullins Architects, Alicia Lyford our project manager, Bill Ford our clerk of the works and our school staff for doing an amazing job of getting school ready on time.

            Right in step with the focus of this issue, the renovation project includes many energy conservation upgrades. Examples include:

·        The building walls will get 4" of foil-faced foam on the inside - a 4-fold improvement over most of what is existing.

·    Windows will be new triple-glazed R-5 windows, another 4-fold improvement.

·    Air leakage will be reduced significantly.

·    Each classroom will have its own energy-recovery ventilator, which will automatically adjust the airflow to the number of occupants, saving energy while maintaining optimum air quality.  The old system, common in schools, over-ventilates, causing excessive (and sometimes severe) dryness in the winter.  The higher moisture levels are healthier and more comfortable.

·    New controls for the building will allow central monitoring and control as well as remote check-in on systems to help systems stay in top operating condition.

·    The lower heat load combined with the new controls will allow the wood chip boiler to make a higher percentage of the heat and hot water, so we use less oil, saving money and carbon dioxide emissions.

·    New lighting will be two-level to allow adjustment of light levels for the best learning environment and to save energy.  Lights near the windows can be turned off separately from other lights, and occupancy sensors (required by code now) will turn off the lights if you forget to when you leave the room.

The renovated building -- including the addition -- will have a lower heat load than the school had before, even though space is being added. 

Andy Shapiro will be on site periodically, keeping an eye on all this during construction, to help insure all our energy upgrades are properly implemented.  Please feel free to contact him with any questions or comments about the energy features of the building, at 229-5676.  He's happy to share more detail for those interested.

Please visit the Facilities blog  http://emesfacilities.blogspot.com/ and if you have any questions about the project please email Alicia Lyford alyford@u32.org or Flor Diaz Smith  diazsmith.flor@gmail.com

 Update

A lot of questions are being asked to the School Board, the next official School Board meeting is on October 21st.  At this meeting the board will talk and be able to act as a Board not individuals and respond to concerns.

Thank you for your understanding.

Construction schedule for:

September 23,2013 to September 29,2013 

• Box cut existing road at short term parking and install road fabric and12”compacted crush gravel 6” of crush stone.
• Extend culverts and swales at the bus loops & parents drop off entrances.
• Install conduits and light poles bases front entrances.
• 
  
• Demo existing boiler
• Start framing south addition.
• Set misc. structural steel for south addition.
• Mechanical & Electrical rough in the south addition.

We had a great assembly at school, kids looked at the renovated gym for the first time on Monday Sep 9th!!  It is not finished, we are waiting on acoustic panels, flooring on the stage and bleachers.  We are on schedule to have it ready for basketball season so stay tuned.  Here is the Schedule of Activities at School for the next two weeks:

    Activities for week of Sept.9,2013 to Sept.20,2013

                     Backfill south addition

                     Excavate for under slab mechanical piping and electrical.

                     Set structural steel for the south addition.

                     Prep for slab on deck and slab on grade.

                     Place slabs on deck and grade.

                     Start light gage framing for south addition.

                     Install swales along Vincents Flats Rd.

                     Set bar joists and metal deck.

                     Start interior electrical rough in.

Thank you for your support and patience during the renovation,

Oversight Committee

PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD AT A GREAT PACE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET!

We are on the Times Argus Today, check your paper!!

OFFICIAL GROUND BREAKING PICTURE

Thank you East Montpelier for advancing the next generation!!

We are ready for school!! Tomorrow will be the first day for students and parents to get used to the new parent drop off area the bus loop and the new short term parking.  Please be patient as we all get use to new routines and also construction will continue until next summer!

Here is the diagram for the new dropping off loop, there is orange fencing separating the parent drop off and the bus drop off lanes.  In the center of the two lanes is a paved path and a crosswalk.  Students should exit their cars and cross on the crosswalk.  Please don't park on this loop during drop off  and pick up times.  Marion and Alicia will be out helping direct traffic for the first few days.  

Their is a short-term parking area, the former drop off area, for parents that want to accompany their children into the school or pick them up inside after the end of the day.  The idea of this little parking area is to make it easier for mothers with infants, pregnant mothers,  grandma's and grandpa's or families with multiple age kids to park closer to the school.  The handicap parking area is also in the short term parking.  You can always park in the big parking lot too if you don't find a space in the short term parking.

We will post the construction schedule for the week a little later today.

WELCOME BACK!!

We are busy at School getting ready for School to start on August 27th!!!   The first few days kids are back at school we will be installing the flooring on the gym and getting it ready for kids to use it.  
Please read the letter from Marion with details about the bag lunch menu for the first few days of school.  Here is a paragraph from her letter:   

"During the first week of school, the gym floor will be installed. Given this, we will be serving lunch/breakfast from the staff room and will provide a menu that can accommodate the facility. On Tuesday through Friday, bag lunches will be served; the menu is included in the first day packets. In advance, Tuesday’s bag lunch is a ham and cheese sandwich, fruit, veggie sticks and a choice of milk. Wednesday’s bag lunch is a turkey-cheese wrap, veggie sticks, fruit and choice of milk." 

Strummer and his team  from Wright and Morrissey are working hard to move fences and get the construction site ready and safe for kids to be at School.  Please remember that the date of completion for this project is August 2014 so we have 12 months left of construction.  We appreciate your understanding and we apologize for any inconvenience.

August 19,2013 to August 25,2013 Construction Activities for East Montpelier Elementary School

Gym Interior work

Finish Paint

Gym Floor Prep

Install Gym Equipment

East Elevation

Finish Gravel

Pave short term parking

South Elevation

Box cut Bus loop

Install gravel

Pave Parent drop off and Bus loop

Place concrete entrance

Form and place concrete for new South addition.

Build a new lay down area.